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Obtaining an EMI Licence in Lithuania

Obtaining an EMI Licence in Lithuania

Obtaining an EMI (Electronic Money Institution) licence in Lithuania requires careful preparation and compliance with strict requirements, including a real presence in the country and integration of the business model into the local market.

The process includes several stages: from a preliminary meeting with the Bank of Lithuania (BoL) to company registration and document submission, which overall may take around 6 months.

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Why Lithuania

Why choose Lithuania to obtain an EMI licence?

Access to the entire EU market

  • An EMI licence allows operating across the EU through passporting

Fast market entry

  • More efficient licensing processes compared to a number of other EU countries

Experienced regulator

  • The Bank of Lithuania is one of the most experienced fintech regulators in Europe

Lower operating costs

  • More optimal costs for compliance, office and team compared to larger EU jurisdictions

Crypto & Fintech synergy

  • Lithuania suits EMI + crypto / MiCA / Web3 structures

International reputation

  • Lithuanian EMIs are widely used by international fintech groups

What is an EMI licence in Lithuania?

An EMI licence is a permit to issue electronic money and provide payment services in accordance with EU requirements.

Types of EMI licences

Standard EMI licence — valid in all EU countries through passporting. Suitable for international fintech and payment projects.

Limited EMI licence — valid only in Lithuania. Suitable for local or test business models.

Before applying

What is important to know before applying for an EMI licence?

EMI licences in Lithuania are issued by the Bank of Lithuania (BoL)

It is recommended to discuss the project with the BoL before submitting documents

A legal presence, team and real functions in Lithuania are required

The business model must demonstrate a connection to Lithuania

It is important to explain how the project will operate within Lithuania’s competitive EMI ecosystem

Requirements

Key requirements for obtaining an EMI licence

Share capital

Minimum EUR 350,000

Corporate governance

A director and a management board of at least 3 members

Local presence

The CEO and part of the management team are recommended to be Lithuanian residents

AML & Compliance

AML/Compliance officers must be Lithuanian residents and meet Lithuanian legal requirements

Management reputation

Managers and shareholders must have an impeccable business reputation and fintech/banking experience

UBO disclosure

Disclosure of the ownership structure and all beneficiaries holding a 10%+ share is required

Operational readiness

The company must be ready to launch operations: staff, IT systems, software, policies and procedures

Process

Step-by-step EMI licensing procedure

Preparing documents for the Bank of Lithuania usually takes up to 2-3 months, while the application review takes up to 6 months.

01

UBO check

Checking the UBO and its source of income confirming share capital, request to the Security Commission

02

Business plan

Preparing a short presentation describing the business model, CEO, management team and UBO

03

Pre-application meeting

A preliminary meeting with the Bank of Lithuania to get initial feedback

04

National Security Check

Filing an application with the National Security Commission to check the UBO and shareholders

05

Company registration

Setting up a Lithuanian legal entity for the licence

06

Document preparation

Compiling and filing the full document package with the Bank of Lithuania (usually up to 2-3 months)

07

BoL review

The Bank of Lithuania reviews the documents, requests changes or decides on the licence (usually up to 6 months, delays possible)

08

Launching operations

After approval the company starts operating under the EMI licence

Contact us

Ready to start obtaining an EMI licence?

Our team will simplify the procedure for you. If we see you have no chance of obtaining an EMI licence in Lithuania, we will tell you right away and offer alternative solutions. Let us handle the details so you can focus on your business in Lithuania!

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